The King of Hearts
by Lady Wystaerya
Summary: Kitty announces Rogue has a guest waiting for her outside. Gambit has something for Rogue. One-shot.


**Title:** King of Hearts

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the X-Men or anything associated with it. I just own the little story-line one-shot I've written – not the characters, the setting or anything based on the X-Men: Evolution Universe.

I do, however, own the plots that I manage to cook up otherwise that is not found X-Men: Evolution Universe. There may/may not be references, but I assume that fans can distinguish which is a part of the Marvel Animation universe and what has been added in.

**Author's Notes**: Please let me know what you think. Any and all thoughts and critiques are welcome but I do not appreciate flamers. I would like to think that we all live in a civilized society in which we all can be courteous to one another.

Also, this story is a **one-shot**…but I can make it into something more…given the right incentive. I feel encouraged to write more if I know people enjoy it and I know people enjoy it when I hear from them. Please review :)

**Pairing**: Gambit/Rogue

**Setting:**About a month after the Gambit kidnaps Rogue.

**Word Count**: 1,294

"_You will be fine, cherie. You've go' people watchin' over you."_

She didn't know how much time had passed since then but she still didn't forget the last words he had spoken to her that night. Rogue could not stop thinking about him, but she continued to act as though the man had not penetrated her mind. His smile flashed before her eyes, in her dreams – both when awake and asleep. She was certain no one knew except Prom Queen Jean and the Professor.

The woman distractedly glanced out the window, staring into the night sky. If it weren't for that history test, she would have gone out for that ice-cream run.

Without so much as another thought, she shut the book and stood. Kitty wouldn't be back until late. She and Bobby have been having their weekly movie night in the living room so she had the large room all to herself.

Rogue drew away from her desk, her hand brushing against some of the papers. That card had been tucked away and yet, it fell to the floor with the rest of the papers in a flutter of white.

"Of, for cryin' out loud." She grumbled under her breath as she kneeled down to gather the papers. Her fingers brushed against the cared for a brief moment before she picked it up. The Queen of Hearts. She inclined her head to the side for a moment, staring at it for a moment. Now that she thought about it, this was the second card he'd given her. The first one had been destroyed – he'd infused it with his powers and she'd tossed it as soon as she realized the threat. If she remembered correctly it had been this card's mate – the King of Hearts.

Ugh.

Mate.

Something clearly was wrong with her if she couldn't get the damn Cajun out of her mind. She rolled her eyes, tossed the sheets of paper under her book and slid the card away where no one would ever find it – right under her notebooks in the lockable drawer. Without so much as a thought, she picked up her towel and clothes from her bed and escaped to the bathroom where a nice, long, hot shower awaited her.

That had been the plan until Kitty ran into the room, screaming on top of her lungs.

"Like, oh my god! You're not going to believe who's outside!" Kitty bounced in excitement and Rogue flung the door wide open.

"You're goin' to be the one outside if ya don't stop screamin' like a banshee." Rogue snapped, irritated. The most she'd managed to do within that five minute span was wipe off goth-style makeup she wore on a daily basis. The look even stunned Kitty into a moment of silence before the younger girl managed to collect herself together and return to her hyperactive, bouncing ball of energy. It was a wonder Rogue managed to not kick her out of their room sooner.

"He's here! The Ragin' Cajun!"

Rogue blinked.

Then again.

And then again.

"Well?! Aren't you going to go! He's clearly here, waiting for you!" Kitty started to say, grabbing Rogue's sweater and tossing it to her.

"I ain' goin' anywhere!" she snapped, grumbling under her breath. "He can wait until the damn rapture an' I still won' go near 'im." She replied before slamming the bathroom door shut again.

By the time it was to go to bed, she could not sleep. She tossed and she turned, her head spinning. It had been _months_ and now he was here? He was supposed to be with Magneto, causing more hell while babysitting the Brotherhood. She bit down on her lower lip. Was he still there? Kitty had told her he was outside. Logan would not have allowed him into the mansion and the only other person who could or would override his decision would be the Professor himself. Still, he wasn't here and she suspected that Gambit was still outside, watching and waiting.

Finally, unable to stave off her curiosity, she got out of bed, grabbed a sweater, gloves and scarf and snuck out of her room.

She didn't know how she managed to evade the mansion's security system, but it took her twenty minutes to get herself outside, passed the gates. The streets were dark save for the lights that shone eerily. The full moon was out and glowing, the breeze was a little bit chilly. She needed to see…did he really wait? He certainly was not across the street. She frowned slightly, wrinkling her nose at the thought before she rubbed to tip of her nose with the back of her hand with a sniffle.

Oh for the love of…._now _her sinuses had to act up.

Right or left now? She thought, glancing up and down the empty street. Everything was so…quiet. Not even the crickets were out.

Without another thought, she turned right and jogged down the street as quietly as she could until she rounded the edge of the fence. No, he wasn't there. For a moment, she was ready to go further, to look for him. Logic, however, got the best of her. With a silent tug of her scarf over her nose and mouth to stave off the small bite of cold, Rogue took a step back and turned to go back, only to run straight into someone.

Startled, she jumped and stumbled back before looking up.

"Miss me _chere_?"

She knew that voice without so much as looking at him. The man stood there, a full head taller than her in his usual trench-coat and body-suit. Red irises on black eyes stared down at her while a smug, amused grin raised a corner of the lip. His partially gloved hand kept one of the many cards moving back and forth between his fingers like it was the most natural thing for him to do. Who was she kidding – it was the most natural thing for him to do.

"What're you doin'-" She started to hiss, only to have his mouth descend onto hers, right over the scarf she'd tugged up. Instinct told her to shove him away but as soon as he kissed her, he'd vanished. The cold returned and he was gone.

And so was her scarf.

Another card fluttered, faced down, to the ground. For a moment, she paused before she bent down to pick it up. She stared at it for a moment before biting back a snide remark. She itched to shove her fist into the wall.

By the time she returned to her room, it was well past two in the morning. Kitty was still sound of sleep. She didn't budge when Rogue crept back into their room, slipped off her gloves and opened the door without a creak. The Queen of Hearts moved from its resting place in the drawer to the surface of her bed, right under her pillow, right next to the new card Gambit had left in his wake.

He was right – not that Rogue would ever admit this to him. She had people watching out for her. She had the X-Men.

A small breath escaped her as she undid her shoes, tossed them under her bed. The gloves left her hands and rested on her night-stand before she slid under the covers.

Yes, she had the X-Men, but she had Gambit too. The thought brought a very faint smile to her face before she tiredly attempted to shove the thought out of her head. Her hand slipped beneath the pillows and rested over the two cards.

If the Queen now had her King of Hearts now, did that mean….

Exhaustion won over her thoughts and Rogue slipped into her dreams.


End file.
